http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... y_passes_170_million.html

This morning Jersey City passed a temporary budget of $170 million to make ends meet through the first three months of the year as meetings begin to formulate a budget for the entire year -- which officials expect to be "austere."

"It's going to be a tough year," City Council President Peter Brennan said during the vote to pass the temporary budget that represents is about 26 percent of last year's total budget of more than $511 million.

The council president noted that the cost of snow removal racked up following the recent snow storm likely "put us in debt for another million dollars."

City officials have previously said that since the city declared a state of emergency, it's possible that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would reimburse the city for some of the cost.

City Business Administrator Jack Kelly said his office has been meeting with the heads of various city agencies to gather information and potential savings. He said he hopes to provide the City Council with preliminary figures in March and the council members can then begin making any changes they see fit.

"We are trying to reduce the size of government and there are fewer people working for the city today than there were last year," Kelly said, adding that more cuts are expected. "But we will always be considerate of our citizens' health safety and welfare."

Proposed cuts have already caused friction between city police officers and Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy.

On Dec. 2, about 200 police officers picketed outside a fundraising event for Healy at Puccini's Restaurant and yelled "Shame on you!" as he arrived. The cops marched toting signs reading "Healy is anti-labor," "Fire the cronies, save the cops," "Healy lies," and "Save the city, stop police layoffs."

The city recently switched its financial reckoning from the fiscal year to the calendar year and today's vote was the first on the schedule.